Small Boy and Dog: Magic Moment!

Yesterday, small boy was sleepy while watching Curious George on TV, so he climbed onto the sofa and curled up where squatty dog usually rests. 












When something exciting happened to George,

small boy sat up. Squatty dog saw his chance and jumped onto his favorite spot, edging boy over.  Small boy responded by carefully resting his body on top of squatty dog’s flank.

Nana hovered in the distance, watching, ready to protect small boy and dog. Nana expected dog to move away. Dog has never allowed boy to lay on him for long. Squatty dog acts like the other dog is stoo-pid for allowing small boy to hug and suffocate her.

Now, with his body perfectly molding the stout curve of squatty dog’s hip, small boy was perfectly still. His brown eyes wide with wonder, boy instinctively honored this magical moment with dog.  Dog moved his big head from the arm rest toward boy’s face. Nana moved to intervene, but stopped when dog simply looked at boy; boy looked back, brown eyes on brown eyes. Nana’s heart melted.

Dog broke the spell with an awkward lunge forward. Nana rushed toward them ready to separate the two.  She is the bite police, vividly remembering the horrible dog attack on small boy’s face just over a year ago.  She stopped again, as squatty dog heaved his cumbersome body up and dropped it solidly over small boy’s legs. Dog, now splayed across boy’s lap, belly up, sighed deeply.

Boy’s grin split his face; the faint scar above his lip smiling too as if in acknowledgement of this unique offer. Chubby fingers started scratching squatty dog’s belly, chest, hip as dog responded in little pig noises: contented grunting, blissful snorts, eyes closing. Boy locked eyes with Nana; adoring green eyes on big, round, brown eyes, silently sharing this enchanted moment. Nana hardly breathes, knowing how boy always wanted to love on THIS dog.

Then, as all moments do, this moment ended. Small boy’s chubby hand froze in mid-air over dog as his eyes turned from wonder to panic.

“Help, Nana,” he cried.  “Turnip is gwishing me!”  Nana laughed, spoke gently to wake dog from the trance, while lifting dog’s JackRussellBasset log-of-a-body up, so small boy could pull his legs out from under.

Dog jumped off sofa; boy curled up and returned to Curious George.  And, as is the norm with precious moments, hints of love and trust lingered in the room. 

Small boy and dog wish you all a Blessed Thanksgiving!!! 

In Celebration of Duds!

I survived our first major book signing! 

Fears were present but not overpowering- fears of introvert burnout over the endless socializing often required of an author, and of course, fears of vulnerability always part of a writer's life.  

But, last Saturday,  at the Jesuit Center in Wernersville,

I greeted people with my brother and co-author, Don. I had deep conversations, signed books, laughed, made connections and oozed extroverted energy.

When I could have holed up my room, I still felt energetic. So I took a walk 

with a good friend, soaking in the gorgeous surroundings...

front yard, Jesuit Center in Wernersville, PA

.....and was powerfully present to color, breeze, birds, our deep conversation. 

portico in late afternoon, Jesuit Center

I only needed a tiny bit of solitude

      and recharging 

               that afternoon. 

                       It felt good, flying high....

...felt smug even!  I'm beating the dud introvert label!  So this is how one rolls with the extroverted majority, the actively happy, school-desks-in-pods and office-teams-not-cubicles, American culture. Woot woot! 

Night ushered in more fun! In celebration of the book release, a few close friends gathered around me to release bright colored Chinese lanterns and light candles that shoot sprays of sparkles.

 Each friend clutched their favorite 'releasing' poem to read before lighting a lantern.  

But, the weather was a dud. WINDY.  Kicking up leaves and unwinding scarves from our necks, the wind gusts made the night dangerous for sending fire-powered lanterns into the sky.  

Disappointed, but determined to light something on fire, we huddled

labyrinth, Jesuit Center 

in the center of an outdoor labyrinth, blocking the wind with our bodies, hands, and books, and we tried to light a firecracker candle stuck in the center of a muffin.   

We tried over and over exhausting our trigger fingers. The lighter gasped, coughed and stuck. The wind quickly snuffed out each tiny spurt of flame. Laughing, we gathered round that lighter coaching it into flame like midwives telling an exhausted laborer to carry on, carry on for surely a burst of life is coming! But, alas, my lighter was a dud. 

  

We moved to the portico. One friend ran inside for a big box of matches. 

  Huddled even closer, and with hands and palms spread all around to protect the candle from gusts, we tried again. I loved the antics of my friends, the collective groaning and hoping for flames and fireworks. We threw away that candle, got another. We moved fast and worked hard like boys striking matches quickly before mom takes away our fun. But, both candles were duds.

Giving up on the candles, I pulled out my box of celebration crackers, wrapped in gold polka dots, tied with gilded ribbon. Yes, we would still celebrate with snaps and bangs!  We held our crackers, took turns reading our poems. One poem, one cracker. A dud.  Next one did not pop or snap either.

More moaning and disbelief. The next crackers were pulled apart faster. We so wanted to outsmart those inhibited crackers. How dare they be so unwilling to part with their party favors inside! (sounds like a bad metaphor for extroverts insisting introverts are holding back). Only one cracker cracked.    

Yet, I've never had more fun laughing with friends over duds. Their precious poetry made me teary, their enthusiasm for celebrating with me (and playing with fire) was delightful!  

And, we celebrated anyway…maybe even more so than seeing flame-lit lanterns floating into a starry sky, or candles exploding with sparkles.... 

in my dreams

                                        
                              ...NAH!    That part was still disappointing.

After continuing the party indoors with two friends, champagne and soul talk, I fell asleep that night, smiling and content. Another extroverted day followed, and the weekend ended by sharing dinner with friends. 

Got a massage the following Monday morning, went to my spiritual director afterward. After 30 minutes of talking with her about life, excitement, changes, unexpected losses, autumn beauty,

near fish pond at the Jesuit Center

exhaustion, decisions, poignant weekend moments…

photo by Mim Hurst 

                    suddenly, just like that…. 

the extroverted ride was over. I completely ran out of juice. Couldn't bear one more word, facial expression, scent of candle or color outside the window.

                                            

                       Full sensory overload! All circuits shutting down!

I fell silent.  

In her gracious, quiet presence, I cried. She smiled her beautiful Italian expressive extroverted smile, sat with me in silence and tears, then handed me materials on introversion. Introverts crashing. Germanic, stoic, smug introverts crashing.

We ended our session laughing.   

Sometimes life moves really fast. My sensitive soul has trouble keeping pace. It’s not about energy levels or out-goingness, it’s about giving myself quiet space to catch up. Introversion isn't the dud I sometimes make it out be.  

Even if that were true…..

                                       duds can be celebrated! 

~ ~ ~

more photos of Jesuit Center - ENJOY!        - http://jesuitcenter.org/

Helpful links:

Article - The Physical Behavior of Introverts

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/07/physical-behavior-of-introverts_n_6069438.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063

Book - Quiet 

http://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Power-Introverts-World-Talking/dp/0307352153/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1415448785&sr=1-1&keywords=quiet